Sony Xperia TX launches in Hong Kong

Sony has released the Asian variant of its international flagship, the Xperia TX, starting in Hong Kong. The Xperia TX, which we saw for the first time at IFA 2012 in Berlin, is almost identical to its more worldly sibling, the Xperia T. The main differences in the TX include the lack of a microSD card slot, a slightly thinner, lighter chassis and a smaller battery (1750mAh versus 1850). Besides that, it's the same 4.6-inch IPS HD Reality Display, same ICS-based Sony interface, and same Snapdragon S4 dual-core CPU (though previously it's been erroneously reported that the TX was running an S3).

Hong Kong buyers looking to pick up an Xperia TX will find it for sale for HK$4,698 (£375, €465, $606), according to XperiaBlog. As the Xperia T and TX are very similar handsets, Sony says it doesn't plan on releasing both in the same market.

Samsung releases Galaxy Note 2 open-source bits

Samsung has released the Linux kernel source code, and other open-source bits, for the recently-launched international version of its Galaxy Note 2 handset (model number GT-N7100). These files won't be of any use to regular Note 2 owners, but they may help out custom ROM developers looking to develop Jelly Bean-based firmware for the device, meaning better and more stable ROMs for all of us. The files are available from the Samsung Open Source Release Center, linked below. Just plug the model number -- GT-N7100 -- into the search box, and you'll be good to go.

If you're still on the fence about the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, be sure to check out our full review.

HTC revenue slide continues as Q3 results reported

HTC has reported its financial results for the third quarter of the year, showing a continuation of the slump in revenues that has characterized the company's 2012 performance. From July to September, HTC's net revenue was $2.397 billion (NT$70.2 billion), down from $3 billion (NT$91.04 billion) in the second quarter. Net income after tax is reported at $133 million (NT$3.9 billion), down from $247 million (NT$7.40 billion) in Q2. According to reports from Bloomberg, today's numbers represent a 48 percent fall in revenues over the past year. The NT$70.2 figure sees HTC narrowly land within the forecasted NT$70-80 billion window.

HTC has faced strong competition from the likes of Samsung and Apple over the past year, and despite putting out critically-acclaimed phones like the One X, HTC has failed to shift its devices in as great a quantity as Samsung's Galaxy line. The company will be hoping to reverse its fortunes with refreshed Android handsets this fall, along with a renewed focus on Windows Phone, through its Windows Phone 8X and 8S handsets.

Jelly Bean leaks for some Tegra 3 One X variants

The ever-resourceful fellows over at the XDA forums have posted a leaked Jelly Bean ROM for some variants of the HTC One X. Based on the shipping software that will be coming on the One X+, this Android 4.1.1 and Sense 4+ ROM is ready for flashing, but only on specific models of the One X running Tegra 3 processors. The following CIDs -- and only these CIDs -- are supported:

cidnum: HTC__001

cidnum: HTC__E11

cidnum: HTC__203

cidnum: HTC__102

cidnum: HTC__405

cidnum: HTC__Y13

cidnum: HTC__A07

cidnum: HTC__304

cidnum: HTC__M27

cidnum: HTC__032

cidnum: HTC__016

cidnum: HTC__J15

If your device is included in the above list and you want to get a sneak peek at the upcoming software version for the device, head to the source link below and check it out, and let us know in the comments how it goes. Oh, do yourself a favor and back up before flashing, will ya?

O2 UK launches Xperia T 'Bond Phone' variant

As we reported last month, O2 UK secured an exclusive deal with Sony to launch its own 'Bond Phone' branded version of the Sony Xperia T. Now the 007-themed handset is actually available from O2, priced from free at £36 per month on O2's "On & On" tariff. The On & On deal gets you unlimited minutes and texts, and 1GB of UK data. If you want to up your data limit, there's a 2GB On & On plan available for £46 per month. Cheaper monthly plans are available, though you'll pay an up-front fee for the phone.

The bond phone is externally idential to the vanilla Xperia T offered by other networks, but comes pre-loaded with Bond-themed ringtones, wallpapers, "screensavers" and geotagged photos from the production of the upcoming Skyfall. In case you missed the memo, the Xperia T will feature in the upcoming Bond flick.

In addition, the Bond Phone functions as deadly garrote wire, a short-range laser cutting tool and an orbital satellite weapons system, or so we're told.

From the Editor's Desk: Some quick thoughts ahead of MobileCON

We're headed to sunny San Diego this week -- one of my new favorite cities -- for the fall CTIA event. The past several years it's been called CTIA "Enterprise and Applications," which pretty much was exactly what it sounded like. Put it this way -- it's no CES or MWC, that's for sure.

The fall event has been rebranded "MobileCON," which basically can mean anything the wireless industry organization wants it to. On the other hand, with bullet points like "Enterprise Industry Spotlight" and a keynote address from the BlackBerry CIO and a U.S. Air Force IT type, it's pretty safe to say we're still knee-deep in enterprise here.

Even less exciting is seeing rumor reports hedged to within the last inch of their life. Either own the rumor, or don't publish it. Hedging is such sweet bullshit.

Is there a dearth of actual devices to cover or something? Did I miss the memo?

How much of these next-Android-version rumors are simply rehashed from what Google told us was coming at Google IO developer conference this summer? I've got some videos to watch again.

Why do we act like it's so surprising to see a new version of Android starting to peek out? It's not like work suddenly stopped and nobody was told, was it?

I'm all about getting a 32- or 64-gigabyte Nexus 7 tablet. (Or any other device for that matter.) That's not to say there's not a place in this world for cloud-storage-centric devices. I think it comes down to personal usage. I'm in airplanes a lot. I need local storage. I need both, actually, but I need the choice.

It was nice to actually podcast two weeks in a row. Forgot how much fun that can be. We don't make money on them. Hell, they cost money, and they're time-consuming. But they're also a lot of fun. And we're about to pass 2.5 million downloads, which just floors me.

Plague Inc. is fun, and I'm surprised the prospect of ending all human life on Earth didn't bother me in the slightest. But it seems to be another one of those games that's trying just a little too hard for the in-app purchases. This sucker's tough.

Update - We've now got official statements published from both Sony U.S. and Sony UK. While the UK announcement is lacking in any serial numbers, the American announcement comes complete with those affected. Both read somewhat differently, but at least offer an official word on the matter from both sides of the Atlantic.

Remember the Sony Xperia Tablet S? Yea, that one with the interesting wedge shape -- no, not the one with the big wedge shape -- that's the one. A main selling point for the tablet was its water resistance. Unfortunately Sony is being forced to recall tablets in several markets around the world -- starting with Japan -- because the devices aren't living up to their claims. Apparently, a manufacturing defect was leaving gaps between the display and housing of the device, which in turn lets water get where it shouldn't.

So if you've got a Tablet S (and since they've only shipped about 100,000 you'd be one of a select few), be sure to be extra careful when you're having that cup of coffee next to your tablet in the morning, and get ready to possibly send your device back to be replaced or repaired.

Sony Xperia T initial photo and video samples

We go hands-on with the Xperia T's 13-megapixel camera

Sony's smartphone cameras have always impressed us. Even the Xperia X10, a device with its fair share of issues, managed to ship with an above average camera assembly. So we were excited to try out the company's latest offering, the Xperia T (or Xperia TL, as it's known in the states), which packs a 13-megapixel Exmor R camera. The rear shooter incorporates Sony's proprietary BSI sensor, and boasts an f/2.4 aperture. So it has all its numbers in the right place -- what about image quality?

We've got a detailed breakdown after the jump, along with a couple dozen photo samples and five minutes of video.

T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S Relay 4G review

The Samsung Galaxy S Relay 4G hit T-Mobile last month offering solidly mid-range specs and a landscape slide-out keyboard. I’ve been testing it out for the last week or so on Mobilicity in Canada, and I’ve generally been happy with my experience. There are a lot of software customizations loaded up that take a bit of getting used to, but once you learn ‘em, they can be definitely be useful.

AT&T cutting device return window to 14 days starting Oct. 7

AT&T seems poised to cut its no-commitment return window on purchases to 14 days, down from 30 days previously. Starting tomorrow, October 7th, new AT&T customers will only have two weeks to decide if their new handset is what they're looking for. After your 14 days are up, you're liable for the full burden of your contract -- that means an ETF (Early Termination Fee). The only people that may not be affected by the change are select AT&T business customers, who will still have the complete 30 day return window.

So what do you think? Does having a larger return window encourage you to go and try a different carrier? Let us know in the comments.

Apps of the Week - Best Deals, Blue Skies Live Wallpaper, Huebrix and more!

You've gotta love when the Android Central writers bring you a greatly diverse set of app picks for your Saturday afternoon reading. With these picks, we'll save you a few bucks, make your homescreen look nicer, kill some time with a game or find the nearest cell tower. As is normally the case, you just don't want to miss these picks, so read on.

Android Central International round-up - October 6, 2012

Another busy week in the Android world device launches and announcements galore. First up was the HTC One X+, which will be coming to Europe and U.S. carrier AT&T in the weeks ahead -- it's a re-vamped One X with snazzy red accents, a faster CPU and a larger battery. It's also packing a new version of HTC's Sense software, Sense 4+, along with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

The Galaxy Note 2 also launched in the UK and Europe it the past week, and we published our exhaustive review of Samsung's latest phone/tablet hybrid. Without spoiling too much, we'll say that we've been impressed -- and surprised -- by the quad-core, 5.5-inch device. Buyers in the UK can pick up the 3G/HSPA version now, or the 4G LTE version on EE in a couple of weeks.

And in other UK 4G news, EE reached an agreement with the other carriers, meaning it'll be able to launch its LTE network on Oct. 30, and the 4G spectrum auction that the other networks are relying on will be moved forward. The result should be widespread 4G coverage across multiple UK carriers by spring 2013.

Check out the list below for some of the main international Android stores from the past week. If you've got news, be sure to submit it to the usual address.

Samsung Galaxy Note 2 review [Updated]

The original Samsung Galaxy Note was never the likeliest candidate for a multi-million-selling Android device. Few expected it to succeed, and its inflated size and stylus input made it an easy target for ridicule. We were cautiously optimistic in our November 2011 review, but also skeptical as to its mass market potential. Yet somehow, in the ten months following its debut in late 2011, Samsung managed to turn this quirky technological showcase into something with sufficient mass appeal to shift more than 10 million units. And so here we are one year on with its successor, the Galaxy Note 2.

Samsung likes to talk about having created a new category of mobile device with the Galaxy Note, and the Note certainly stretches the boundaries of what can reasonably be called a smartphone. It’s even inspired a few imitators, including LG’s Optimus Vu and Intuition. But users of the original Note will concede that while the device was groundbreaking, it certainly wasn’t perfect. Samsung’s TouchWiz 4 software was hardly ideal for a phone of that size, and many usability hiccups remained in Android, particularly where the "S Pen" stylus was concerned.

In 2012, the Galaxy Note 2 presents Samsung with the chance to refine the Note formula, and possibly dominate this niche for another year. So have they succeeded? Read on to find out, in our definitive Galaxy Note 2 review.

Motorola killing webtop, laptop docks

Motorola has confirmed that it will no longer be pursuing its webtop program in the future. Famously announced to much fanfare with the Motorola Atrix, the laptop dock is going away. Starting with its latest release of devices -- the Photon Q, Droid RAZR HD, etc. -- webtop will no longer be preloaded and laptop dock devices will no longer be for sale. In an official statement, Motorola laid out the news:

"Motorola's Webtop app helps users extend their smartphone experience to larger screens. While consumers around the world have adopted Webtop and the concept spurred a lot of innovation in the industry, the adoption has not been strong enough to justify continued resources being allocated to developing Webtop on future devices. We have also seen development of the Android operating system focus on the inclusion of more desktoplike features. Beginning with Photon Q and Droid Razr M/Droid Razr HD/Droid Razr Maxx HD, we will no longer be including Webtop on our products moving forward."

This probably doesn't come as a surprise to many of us who have either completely forgotten that webtop existed (we wouldn't blame you) or saw with the high prices and anemic sales that the future wasn't bright for the product. Most importantly, this really symbolizes the end of an era for Motorola. Webtop may have been one of the biggest things left that symbolized the Motorola of the past. As if Google and Motorola's statements prior to its latest device launches weren't clear enough, it seems as though we're looking at a "new Motorola" going forward.